Nelson Mills

September 8, 1949 - April 11, 2021 Born in Houston, TX in 1950 as son of Nelson Mills II. He began his career playing trumpet professionally at the age of 13. Aged 17 in 1967, Mills joined the popular band, The TSU Toronados. The Toronados split and became South Funk Blvd. Mills went on his own after leaving South Funk Blvd. Mills married Gloria Edwards and they lived in the Midwest. During his tenure in the Kansas City area, Mills worked once again in Jazz. The call for home was too great, so Mills returned to Houston and joined Conrad Johnson Big Band, sitting beside his dad, Nelson Mills II. Nelson passed away of complications from COVID-19 in April 2021.